Keeper of the Books (Keeper of the Books, Book 1) Read Online Free

hands. He was mad. Madder than I ever seen him. Stew stood next to him, and they opened the book and looked at it for a good five seconds or so. Then they just vanished.”
    “But that makes no sense,” Levi said, stepping away from the window, blowing out a puff of smoke that seemed to hang in the air like a thick cloud. He clenched his teeth as he moved toward Amos. “People don’t just disappear.”
    “These two did,” Amos said. “I swear it. Their faces were drawn to the book like some rope was pulling them in. I don’t know how to explain it.”
    “What happened then?”
    “Joe grabbed the book and ran. I chased after him. When we got outside, Sheriff Marston was coming after us. Joe got on his horse and took off.”
    “Leaving you behind.”
    “I had my own horse, but Marston shot it as I was getting on. That’s when I seen you run out into the street.”
    Levi listened to the story, hoping there was some clue about what could have actually happened today, but Amos fed him the same account almost verbatim. Either this was a rehearsed story, or he was telling the truth. There was no way he was making this up on the spot. Witnesses saw four robbers enter the bank, and two of them leave through the only available exit.  
    Levi’s search for the Cole brothers had brought him to the town a few days before. He knew he was close, but he didn’t know he was that close. A thorough search of the bank showed no indication of any other way for the robbers to get out, yet it was empty of the missing thieves. Ralph and Stewart were gone. So, the theory of the magic book lined up. Except, of course, for the fact that magic books didn’t exist and that it’s impossible for anyone to just… disappear. There was a hole in all of this and Levi intended to find out what it was. Amos wasn’t going to provide good answers because the others probably didn’t trust him with the facts. Levi thought it was also possible that this operation was a good way for the outfit to get rid of Amos for good. It was hard to tell. It would seem that people like the Cole brothers would just kill Amos if they didn’t want him in their group anymore. That or pay him off.
    The part about Joe and Amos seeing Levi in the street was true as well. Levi had even shot at Joe as he took off on his horse, but he wasn’t about to go after him. Levi was a fairly cautious man who knew when to chase and when not to. He didn’t know if there were others planted out along the road to take aim at anyone who pursued Joe. Not to mention that Levi wouldn’t have had any backup. Chasing after Joe on the spur of the moment could have gotten him killed. Now, had Amos not been shot off his horse, Levi might have considered otherwise. But as it stood, he had a prisoner who knew information, which gave Levi time to formulate a plan.
    “Tell me about your employer,” Levi said.  
    “I thought you knew all about Nate,” he answered.  
    Levi sighed. “The man who hired Nate and the rest of you. Who is he?”
    “Tyler Montgomery. I never actually met him.”
    “Do you know where he is?”
    “I know where we was supposed to deliver the book,” Amos said.  
    Levi’s heart gave a sudden jolt. Why hadn’t he asked that question before? “Where?”
    “Northrup Valley,” Amos said. “About ten miles north of here.”
    Levi cursed in his mind. They could have been halfway there by now. He had gotten caught up in asking a bunch of questions when he should have been out riding. He grabbed Marston’s keys off the desk and walked up next to Amos. The man rubbed at his wrist when he was freed and his eyes set on Levi’s gun that hung at his belt. He wondered if Amos was truly stupid enough to try and grab it. Just a flinch in the wrong direction and Amos would have a bullet through his heart. But it seemed that reason found a home somewhere in Amos’ mind because he kept his hands in his lap until Levi ordered him to get up.  
    “We going to the